Leading Asian hospitality group Dusit International has appointed Thierry Douin as its regional vice president for the Middle East & Africa.

Douin will act as the figurehead for Dusit International in the region, overseeing the company’s expansion efforts, driving operational performance and supervising the opening of new hotels from his base in the Dubai Regional Office.

A passionate and experienced hotelier, Douin has been in the industry for more than 35 years.

He has managed luxury hotels in many parts of the world, including in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, Jakarta and Caracas for various groups, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and most recently, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts.

Douin, a French national, is a graduate of the Hotel & Catering School in Granville, France and is a Certified Hotel Administrator and Certified Food and Beverage Executive with the American Hotel and Motel Association.

Over the course of his career, he has attended various executive programs such as the Luxury Brand Management Program at ESSEC Business School, the Asian International Executive Program at INSEAD Business School and the General Manager’s Program at the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University.

“This is an exciting and important time to join the company, whilst it is focused on expansion and growth,” said Douin on his appointment.

“I hope my experience will strengthen the team and I look forward to capitalising on the great legacy of the Dusit brand in the MEA region, where it has been in operation for more than a decade.”